UAE eyes deal to buy supersonic trainers

Potential contract would see first sale of China's L-15 in Middle East market

The first Middle East contract for China's L-15 supersonic trainer aircraft is close to being inked, with the United Arab Emirates planning to order 12 of the jets, the Emirates News Agency said on Wednesday.

The UAE's official news agency said the country's Ministry of Defense had announced its intention to sign a contract with China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corp for the purchase of 12 L-15s, with the option for another 36 such aircraft in the future.

The Chinese aircraft will serve as an advanced trainer and also a light combat jet. It is one of the top training/fighter jets in the world, a spokesman for the UAE military told the agency on Wednesday.

The report also quoted Tareq Abdulraheem al Hosani, chief executive officer of the Tawazun Economic Council, as saying that the prospective deal is part of ongoing efforts to diversify and modernize the Arab nation's military capabilities.

The Tawazun Economic Council is an official organization that manages the procurements and contracts of the UAE Armed Forces and the Abu Dhabi Police. China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corp, also known as CATIC, is the export wing of Aviation Industry Corp of China, a State-owned defense conglomerate.

"We have reached the final stage in our talks with the Chinese side. The final contract will be signed soon," Al Hosani told the agency, adding the UAE Armed Forces are seeking to diversify their hardware inventories and to acquire the best capabilities to meet their requirements and achieve their strategic goals.

"We trust that CATIC has advanced technology that enjoys global competitive advantages," he said.

If the deal becomes a reality, it will mark the first time for the UAE to field a Chinese manned aircraft and also for the L-15 to enter the Middle East market.

Currently, the trainer jet has three users－the People's Liberation Army Air Force, the PLA Navy and the Zambian Air Force.

Wu Peixin, an aviation industry observer in Beijing, said it is not clear which L-15 variant will be bought by the UAE, but it is highly likely to be the latest L-15AW.

"The L-15AW is equipped with an advanced Chinese fire-control radar and world-class munitions such as midrange air-to-air missiles, precision strike bombs and even anti-ship cruise missiles," he said. "It is an ideal choice for financially challenged militaries because it can act as both a training plane and a multirole combat jet and can fulfill a wide range of tasks. Moreover, there are a lot of China-developed munitions available to users of this aircraft."

Developed by AVIC's Hongdu Aviation Industry Group in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, the L-15 has two engines, a streamlined aerodynamic design and integrated avionics.

During the 17th Dubai Airshow in November, an L-15AW conducted several demanding aerobatic stunts during a flight performance.